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Research and the Knowledge Based Society

Research and the Knowledge Based Society. Measuring the Link National University of Ireland, Galway 24 May 2004. Don Thornhill Chairperson Higher Education Authority. Research and National Development: Faith, Hope, Concern and Paradox. FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY !. FAITH.

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Research and the Knowledge Based Society

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  1. Research and the Knowledge Based Society Measuring the Link National University of Ireland, Galway 24 May 2004 Don Thornhill Chairperson Higher Education Authority

  2. Research and National Development:Faith, Hope, Concern and Paradox

  3. FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY !

  4. FAITH

  5. Why do Governments fund research? For National Advantage

  6. THE CHALLENGE FOR IRELAND

  7. A Vision for Ireland To be a world-leading society as reflected by:  A knowledge-based economy with world-class infrastructure  At the forefront of technological innovation  A high income and competitive economy

  8. A Vision for Ireland To be a world-leading society as reflected by: People committed to lifetime learning  Socially inclusive and cohesive society  The highest environmental standards 

  9. Stages of Economic Development Investment-Driven Economy Factor-Driven Economy Innovation-Driven Economy   Input Cost Efficiency Unique value  Key Transition (Paradigm Shift)

  10. “Ireland which has been tremendously successful in attracting foreign investment for manufacturing, now faces the need to justify higher wages and higher local costs without yet having developed a world-class innovation structure.” Global Competitiveness Report, 2001-2002

  11. “The hardest transition is from technology-importing, efficiency based development, to innovation-based development.” Global Competitiveness Report, 2001-2002

  12. POLICY MAKERS HOPE COMMITMENT ELECTORATE

  13. SUSTAINED COMMITMENT STRATEGY INVESTMENT RESEARCHERS CONCERN DIALOGUE SOCIETY CHOICE INDICATORS USE

  14. INDICATORS  . . . an underlying simplistic view of the process of science, its uncertainties and complexities might be reflected in the uncritical use of crude indicators and evaluation methods, to the detriment of the shared goal of advancing Ireland’s national innovation system  . . . evaluation processes themselves involve the use of scarce resources, and so need to be carefully aligned to the goals of policy, and the setting up of incentives for members of the scientific and technological community. Source : ‘Measuring and Evaluating Research’ Report of the ICSTI Taskforce, 2002

  15. In our society, in economics, and in finance, we place too much trust in numbers. Numbers are not reality. At best, they’re a pale reflection of reality. At worst, they’re a gross distortion of the truths we seek to measure.  Our optimistic bias leads us to misinterpret the data and give them credence that they rarely merit.  Our best defences against numerical illusions of certainty are the immeasurable, but nonetheless invaluable, qualities of perspective, experience, common sense, and judgement. From : “Don’t count on it! The perils of numeracy” John Bogle, Founder Vanguard Group, Princeton, October 18, 2002

  16. NOT NEUTRAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS DISCOVERY RISK INNOVATION EVALUATION PROCESS POLICY FAILURES RISKS OPPORTUNITY COSTS NECESSARY BUT ACCOUNTABILITY

  17. NOT ROBUST ADVOCACY PERCEIVED RELEVANCE DIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS INDICATORS COMPLEXITY DISCOVERY REFLECT INNOVATION REALISM INTERPRETED WISELY

  18. R&D intensity and high-tech exports, selected OECD countries SWE  10% USA 8%  FRA   GER JPN   6% FIN UK  BERD in Mauf. / Value Added in Manuf. NOR NLD    DNK 4%  CAN ITA  IRL  2% ESP  . . . . . . 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% High-Tech Exp. /Total Exp.

  19. R&D intensity and high-tech exports, selected OECD countries SWE  10% USA 8%  FRA   GER JPN   6% FIN UK  BERD in Mauf. / Value Added in Manuf. NOR NLD    DNK 4%  CAN ITA  IRL  2% ESP  . . . . . . 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% High-Tech Exp. /Total Exp.

  20. X ‘Aristocratic’ impatience or contempt for evaluation

  21. UNCERTAIN NOVEL RESEARCH RISKY UNPREDICTABLE INNOVATION PARADOX ELEMENTS COMPLEXITY PROCESSES STAKEHOLDERS MOTIVATIONS DIFFERENCES INTERESTS UNDERSTANDINGS TIME HORIZONS

  22. BUT !

  23. Paradox, complexity and multiple stakeholder objectives are central to much of public policy making – and indeed explain why public policy is so interesting !

  24. IGNORE X WISH AWAY RESPONSE RECOGNISE ANALYSE ABSTRACT SYNTHESISE

  25. ENERGY PARADOX SOURCE DEVELOPMENT

  26. Analyse, abstract, synthesise !

  27. EXCHEQUER-FUNDED FOCUS R & D

  28. Funders of GERD 2001 Source : Forfás

  29. LISBON / BARCELONA

  30. Why do Governments fund research? For National Advantage

  31. Why should Governments fund research? Market failure

  32. Sources of market failure  Very uncertain outcomes  “Free rider”  Pay-back periods very long Research has many characteristics of a “public good”

  33. WHY? “PURE” SPIRIT OF ENQUIRY SEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH IMPORTANT RESEARCH LINKED “UTILITARIAN” INNOVATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL

  34. ALL ARGUMENTS RELEVANT AREAS S E & T MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP HUMANITIES SOCIAL SCIENCES

  35. Performers of GERD 2001 Source : Forfás

  36. UNIQUE ROLE FOR THIRD-LEVEL INSTITUTIONS

  37. WHY ? - 1 • Character and Ethos • Dynamics of Scholarly Communities

  38. WHY ? - 2 Essential link between R&D and Education and Learning

  39. For a small country, the impact of research spending on enhancing human capital may be as important or more important than the generation of new knowledge.

  40. FOCUS OF ENQUIRY / INDICATORS ?

  41. KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT

  42. EDUCATION KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION LEARNING BASIC RESEARCH

  43. HEA PRTLI €600M 2000-2006 NDP €2.5b IRCHSS NEW INITIATIVES > €600m SFI ICT + BioTech IRCSET HRB

  44. APPLIED RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER COMMERCIALISATION

  45. KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION

  46. Issues  Resources  Quality  Structures and strategy for funding  Effectiveness of HEIs  Policy environment and incentives

  47. RESOURCES

  48. Sweden 4.3 Finland 3.4 United Kingdom 1.9 Denmark 2.2 Netherlands 1.9 Singapore 1.9 Ireland 1.4 Portugal 0.83 GERD as % GDP/GNP for Ireland and selected countries, 2001* Source : Forfás *2001 data used or latest available year

  49. IUQB / HEA UNIVERSITIES EUA NATIONAL PANEL QUALITY NQAI HETAC ITs DIT

  50. Structures and strategy for funding

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